Victim of shooting at Vancouver luxury hotel identified; vehicle fire also under investigation
The victim of a shooting at an upscale hotel near Vancouver's waterfront has been identified.
Vancouver police said the man found unresponsive in the Fairmont Pacific Rim's parkade was 35-year-old Amandeep Manj. He was found by hotel staff on level three of the parkade around 3:30 p.m. and pronounced dead at the scene.
A huge police presence formed around the hotel after the victim was discovered, and the hotel's parkade was cordoned off with police tape.
At about 10 p.m. two cars were towed out of the parkade, a silver Buick and red Mustang, both with visible bullet holes. Police sources told CTV News Manj was found inside the Mustang while the Buick was unrelated, and described as “collateral damage.”
Manj was known to police. In 2009, someone with the same name was one of two men charged with a number of weapons offences as part of a crackdown on gang violence in Vancouver.
However, on Thursday, Const. Tania Visintin stopped short of connecting Manj’s murder with the ongoing Lower Mainland gang conflict.
“Yes, there is a history with him, with this lifestyle but to say if he’s an active member right now, what is going on, that is something we are looking into,” Const. Visintin said. “This whole picture paints the scene of a hallmark, target gang-style shooting so it fits that umbrella.”
Visintin said police are now concerned about a possible retaliation attack.
“When a shooting of this nature does occur it always does pose a risk of retaliation and that’s where the public safety does come into risk, as there could always be innocent bystanders,” she said.
Police are also investigating if an arson in East Vancouver is connected to Wednesday’s shooting.
Early Thursday morning, two residential streets were behind police tape after a burned vehicle was found overnight.
Witnesses say when crews arrived at the intersection of Penticton and Charles streets, a truck was engulfed in flames.
“Investigators are working to determine if there is a connection with that arson and the murder from last night," Visintin said.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 604-717-2500. Tips can also be left anonymously with Crime Stoppers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.